When it comes to OOXML, Corel is a particularly interesting story. Quite a few years ago, when Corel became a big threat to Microsoft and a close friend of Linux, Microsoft essentially hijacked and subverted the company’s natural route [1, 2]. Antitrust memos reveal a lot more information [1, 2] which Microsoft does not want you to have. Fortunately, copies had been grabbed before Microsoft settled the trial in Iowa (Comes vs. Microsoft).

Nowadays, Corel remains somewhat of an obedient Microsoft ‘sockpuppet’. It is blindly helping perpetuate the monopoly’s impact [1, 2]. Things are not so grim however.

Corel Corporation a leading developer of graphics, productivity and digital media software, today announced a new beta version of Corel® WordPerfect® Office that supports both the Open Document Format (ODF) and Microsoft® Office Open XML (OOXML), the default file format for Microsoft® Office 2007.

“If anything, the above is further proof that ODF and OOXML can coexist in the same application…”As usual, Andy plays the role of the peacemaker. If anything, the above is further proof that ODF and OOXML can coexist in the same application, but Microsoft refuses to support ODF in Microsoft Office, despite the fact that it is the international standard. Microsoft does this purely due to financial interests, so the needs of the user/customer are irrelevant (or secondary at best). Why can Corel do it but Microsoft cannot? Is it a budget issue, just like the one we sarcastically mentioned hours ago? This is not the first time that Corel gives Microsoft a lesson.

As many as 8 of the top 10 benefits of Microsoft Office 2007 provide capabilities that have already been addressed by Corel WordPerfect Office X3. Some “new” features of Microsoft Office 2007 have even been part of Corel WordPerfect Office for close to a decade!

The criminal enterprise known as Microsoft finds itself embarrassingly exposed in the courtroom, for the IRS belatedly (decades too late) targets the company in an effort to tackle massive tax evasions

A look at some of last week's patent news, with imperative responses that criticise corporate exploitation of patents for protectionism (excluding and/or driving away the competition using legal threats)

Vista 10 to bring new ways for spies (and other crackers) to remotely access people's computers and remotely modify the binary files on them (via Windows Update, which for most people cannot be disabled)